Tekscan kicked off the New Year by spending a weekend at the 2018 Eastern Athletic Trainers’ Association (EATA) Conference in Boston. Amidst the tradeshow floor and workshops, we were able to carve out some one-on-one time with Dr. Thomas Kaminski, Director of Athletic Training Education at the University of Delaware, and a top researcher in the field. Dr. Kaminski has validated Tekscan’s technology at UD, and we were excited to hear about his work and also his perspective on new technology in the field.

As concussions become a growing concern for athletes at all levels, Kaminski is integrating Tekscan’s systems into his analysis as well as his academic curriculum in the hopes of redefining the protocol for concussion assessment and prevention.

Current assessments contain tests for balance, which is where Tekscan’s MobileMat and SportsAT Software come into play. SportsAT includes the Balance Error Scoring System (BESS) test, which has become a standard evaluation tool. When used with MobileMat, the BESS test goes beyond visual assessment and provides objective data to evaluate patients’ balance based on pressure sensors.

Dr. Kaminski’s workshop at the EATA gave attendees the chance to see MobileMat and SportsAT in action. In the photo to the left, Tekscan’s Brittany Bearden demonstrates MobileMat and SportsAT for attendees.

When asked about using Tekscan systems at the University of Delaware, Kaminski said, “I've been a big believer in Tekscan because, as long as we're going to use the BESS, you might as well use the best technology out there. And in my eyes, it's that technology.  We validated it, it’s a reliable tool.”

For the Bess test, Tekscan’s system adds the value of kinetic and force measurements to more objectively evaluate balance. 

The system also and digitizes the process, storing the data. This is helpful in establishing a baseline for athletes, and also in comparing data for pre- and post-concussion assessments. Most importantly, Tekscan’s system calculates the score for you, minimizing human error and subjectivity.

Software automatically calculates a score for the BESS test.

Regarding integrating new technologies, Kaminski added, “One thing about athletic training is that people do get set in their ways. It's got to be easy, very simple to use, easy interfaces. That's the biggest challenge for incorporating new technologies.”

 

Current University of Delaware students are trained in Tekscan’s system, so it’s clear that Dr. Kaminski sees it as an important tool for the future of athletic training.

To learn more about how Tekscan systems can add valuable data to your athletic training program or clinical practice, visit www.tekscan.com/medical.